Integrated child seat with child seat belt retractor assembly

Abstract

A seat assembly including an integrated child seat assembly for a motor vehicle comprises a seat frame including a seat cushion frame and a seat back frame. A cushion assembly is mounted on the seat frame assembly and includes a movable cushion construction mounted for movement between (1) an adult position wherein the cushion assembly including the movable cushion construction provides an adult seat cushion and a cushioned adult seat back for engaging the back of an adult sitting on the adult seat cushion, and (2) a child position wherein the cushion assembly including the movable cushion construction provides a child's seat and a cushioned child's seat back. An adult seat belt assembly is mounted with respect to the seat assembly, and a child's seat belt assembly is provided with the integrated child's seat assembly. The child's seat belt assembly includes a pair of belts each extending from respective take-up reels connected with an upper portion of the seat back frame forwardly of the cushioned child's seat back. The belts each have upper portions thereof wound on the respective take-up reels in such a fashion that the belts pay-out generally from bottom portions of the reels when the belts are extended forwardly of the cushioned child's seat back. The child's seat belt assembly also includes a single controlling mechanism operatively connected with each of the take-up reels constructed and arranged to control the pay-out and take-up of the belts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A seat assembly including an integrated child seat assembly for a motor vehicle comprising: a seat frame assembly for securement within the motor vehicle including a seat cushion frame and a seat back frame mounted with respect to said seat cushion frame in an operative fixed relation;   a cushion assembly mounted on said seat frame assembly and including a movable cushion construction mounted for movement between (1) an adult position wherein said cushion assembly including said movable cushion construction provides an adult seat cushion disposed in an operative position with respect to said seat frame assembly and a cushioned adult seat back for engaging the back of an adult sitting on said adult seat cushion, and (2) a child position wherein said cushion assembly including said movable cushion construction provides a child's seat disposed in a position above the operative position of said adult seat cushion for engaging a child sitting thereon, and a cushioned child's seat back extending upwardly from said cushioned child's seat for engaging the back of a child sitting on said cushioned child's seat;   an adult seat belt assembly mounted with respect to said seat assembly constructed and arranged to be disposed in restraining relation with respect to an adult sitting on said adult seat cushion with said movable construction in said adult position;   a child's seat belt assembly connected with said seat frame assembly constructed and arranged to be locked in restraining relation with respect to a child sitting on said cushioned child's seat with said movable construction in said child position;   said cushioned child's seat providing an anchor point for the child's seat belt assembly between the legs of a child sitting on said cushioned child's seat,   said child's seat belt assembly including   a pair of belts each associated with respective take-up reels, said take-up reels being mounted on a single rotatable spool assembly, said single spool assembly mounted for rotation at an upper portion of said seat back frame and rearwardly of said cushioned child's seat back, said belts extending from said respective take-up reels forwardly of said cushioned child's seat back for extension over the shoulders of a child sitting on the cushioned child's seat with said movable cushion assembly in said child position,   said belts each having upper portions thereof being wound on said respective take-up reels in such a fashion that the belts pay-out generally from bottom portions of the reels when said belts are extended forwardly of said cushioned child's seat back, said child's seat belt assembly being devoid of any rigid obstruction forwardly of said reels such that said belts extend forwardly of said cushioned child's seat back from relatively higher positions as said belts are paid out from said reels as a result of said belts being depleted from said reels,   said belts being wound on said spool assembly such that rotation of said spool assembly in one direction causes coiling of said belts on said take-up reels to effectuate take-up of said belts, and rotation of said spool assembly in an opposite direction causes uncoiling of said belts from said take-up reels to effectuate pay-out of said belts,   said spool assembly being biased for rotation in said one direction to take-up said belts, said spool assembly being manually movable in said opposite direction against said bias to effect pay-out of said belts from said reels when said child's seat belt assembly is unlocked from said restraining relation with respect to said child sitting on said cushioned child's seat, and   a single controlling mechanism operatively connected with said single spool assembly and disposed rearwardly of said cushioned child's seat back, said single controlling mechanism constructed and arranged to control the pay-out and take-up of said belts by said respective reels in such a fashion that each belt is taken-up and paid-out simultaneously with and to the same extent as the other such that substantially the same length of each of said belts will extend from said respective reels at all times, said single controlling mechanism being constructed and arranged to lock said spool assembly against movement in said opposite direction so as to prevent pay-out of said belts when said child's seat belt assembly is locked in said restraining relation with respect to said child sitting on said cushioned child's seat.   
     
     
       2. A seat assembly according to claim 1, wherein said cushion assembly includes a pair of side cushions fixedly carried by said rigid seat back frame so as to define a space therebetween, said movable cushion construction when in said adult position effectively filling said space. 
     
     
       3. A child's seat module for mounting on a seat back frame of a vehicle seat having a seat cushion and spaced apart side cushions on the seat back frame defining a child-receiving space therebetween, said child seat module comprising a rigid back panel of a size to fit within the space between the side cushions constructed and arranged to engage the seat back frame forwardly thereof within a rearward portion of the space between the side cushions for fixed securement thereto;   a movable cushion construction movably connected with said back panel for movement between (1) an adult position wherein the movable cushion construction is disposed within the space between the side cushions and provides a cushioned adult seat back for engaging the back of an adult sitting on said seat cushion, and (2) a child position wherein said movable cushion construction extends from the space between the side cushions and provides a cushioned child's seat extending from the bottom of the space in overlying relation to the seat cushion and a cushioned child's seat back extending upwardly from said cushioned child's seat within the space between the side cushions,   a child's seat belt assembly connected with said back panel constructed and arranged to be locked in restraining relation with respect to a child sitting on said cushioned child's seat with said movable cushion construction in said child position;   said movable cushion construction when in said child position providing an anchor point for the child's seat belt assembly between the legs of a child sitting on said cushioned child's seat:   said child's seat belt assembly including   a pair of belts each associated with respective take-up reels, said take-up reels being mounted on a single rotatable spool assembly, said single rotatable spool assembly mounted for rotation at an upper portion of said back panel and disposed rearwardly of said cushioned child's seat back, said belts extending from said respective take-up reels forwardly of said cushioned child's seat back for extension over the shoulders of a child sitting on the cushioned child's seat with said movable cushion assembly in said child position,   said belts each having upper portions thereof being wound on said respective take-up reels in such a fashion that the belts pay-out generally from bottom portions of the reels when said belts are extended forwardly of said cushioned child's seat back, said child's seat belt assembly being devoid of any rigid obstruction forwardly of said reels such that said belts extend forwardly of said cushioned child's seat back from relatively higher positions as said belts are paid out from said reels as a result of said belts being depleted from said reels,   said belts being wound on said spool assembly such that rotation of said spool assembly in one direction causes coiling of said belts on said take-up reels to effectuate take-up of said belts, and rotation of said spool assembly in an opposite direction causes uncoiling of said belts from said take-up reels to effectuate pay-out of said belts,   said spool assembly being biased for rotation in said one direction to take-up said belts, said spool assembly being manually movable in said opposite direction against said bias to effect pay-out of said belts from said reels when said child's seat belt assembly is unlocked from said restraining relation with respect to said child sitting on said cushioned child's seat, and   a single controlling mechanism operatively connected with said single spool assembly and disposed rearwardly of said cushioned child's seat back, said single controlling mechanism constructed and arranged to control the pay-out and take-up of said belts by said respective reels in such a fashion that each belt is taken-up and paid-out simultaneously with and to the same extent as the other such that substantially the same length of each of said belts will extend from said respective reels at all times, said single controlling mechanism being constructed and arranged to lock said spool assembly against movement in said opposite direction so as to prevent pay-out of said belts when said child's seat belt assembly is locked in said restraining relation with respect to said child sitting on said cushioned child's seat.